Blue Origin says Blue Moon lander lander could take astronauts to the Moon in 2024

Posted: Sun, May 12, 2019, 10:56 AM ET (1456 GMT)
Jeff Bezos said Thursday Blue Origin's lunar lander could be ready to land astronauts on the moon in 2024. At an event in Washington, Bezos unveiled a full-sized mock-up of the Blue Moon lander, which the company has been working on for three years. The lander is capable of carrying 3.6 tons of cargo to the lunar surface, and 6.5 tons in a stretched version. The lander is powered by a new engine, BE-7, that the company has developed and plans to start testing this summer. Bezos said he endorsed the administration's new goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2024, and that the company can meet that timeline with its lander.